worst localization modification: devil may cry 3: dante's awakeningthe unnecessary decision to make the 'hard' japanese level the 'normal' american level resulted in turning what should've been one of the years major high-production across-the-board bestsellers into something of cult favorite for the hardcore...

best original soundtrack: killer 7just plain amazing...(runner-up: shadow of the colossus)

I don't know the name of it, but this game seemed like it was the hottest thing in every arcade I saw in Japan a couple months ago:

You collect/trade game cards that have various troop types. You could have archers, mounted units, spearmen, etc., and it looked like some had special abilities as well. You play the game by moving your cards around on the game surface. That's right, somehow the game table can scan what your cards are, where they are, and which way they're facing.

In this picture the guy has all his units pulled back in his fortress, I think he had just made his archers retreat to defend against some uber-unit his opponent had advanced. After defending that attack, he'll try to advance to that horizontal line on the table. It's some kind of forward defence wall. Oh yeah, and this guy is playing head to head with another person sitting opposite him.

Most frustrating game- Digital Devil Saga. While I loved the story, graphics, and characters, the ridiculously high encounter rate completely killed what was a fantastic game.

Most dissapointing- The lack of quality games for the PSP. Sony creates an incredible gaming machine...then releases a huge load of absolute shite games for it. i'm sure we'll see some inspired titles later in it's lifespan, but as of now the PSP is a huge dissapointment.

Biggest Time Sink- I know this is a console forum, but Civilization IV is the champ. The words 'Just one more turn' are pure evil.

Game I really wanted to like but didn'tMagna Carta. Shadow Hearts meets Arc the Lad meets Grandia II battle system with Final Fantasy-esque production values. Can't miss, right? Wrong. For me, MC was an exercise in frustration and a huge dissapointment.

Game I really expected to hate but didn'tDragon Quest VIII. I hated the uninspired demo and have never liked an Enix developed game (especially previous Dragon Quest games), but I'm really enjoying the old-school goodness that is DQ8. Speaking of demos...

Worst demoThis would be a tie between DQ8 and Final Fantasy XII. While the former was simply dull and uninteresting, the latter is a huge step in the wrong direction for the series (imo, of course). I can only hope that the final version of FFXII will turn out like the final DQ8 version, and be much more enjoyable.

Ossu! Tatakae! Ouendan - yes, it beats out Guitar Hero. I love playing Guitar Hero, but I'm not a big fan of the music. It's fun to play, but since O! T! O is portable, and features just amazingly great songs, it's the best rhythm game I've *ever* played.

Most overrated game:

Resident Evil 4. I've puchased it twice (I KNOW, I KNOW I SHOULD RENT) but after not enjoying it the first time, hearing so many great things about it and buying it a second only to find it as boring as the first time, I'm annoyed by gamers. This game looks nice. And maybe it's just "survival-horror" isn't for me. But even the gameplay is nothing special. I just don't get the praise for this one and probably never will.

Can't...stop...playing...it...this year:

Super Smash Bros. Melee. I'm convinced this is the game of this console-generation if not of all-time. So much deeper than it gets credit for, so amazing in its versitality; every time I stop playing, all I need is a good night of Smash to get me interested in again.

Most impressive game this year:

Shadow of the Colossus. Just play it, you'll see.

Most surprising game this year:

Shadow of the Colossus. I really didn't dig the demo, but the buzz surrounding its release was too unbearable to not grab the game. Also, didn't come out this year, but Beyond Good & Evil was really, really good and surprised the hell out of me.

Most fucked-up game of the year:

Killer 7. You want weird? Rent it (or buy it to give it better numbers than it has now - poor, poor industry when originality/creativity can't sell [but wait till it's under $20 {which'll be soon, I'd guess}]) and find out.

Biggest waste of money of the year:

The PSP! Why in the world did I buy that thing?

SRPG of the year:

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones - this was my first FE game and I came away impressed. Even though I felt that it was a tad simplistic, it was still a damn fine game.

Best music in a game this year:

There was this part in Phantom Dust that had beautifully remixed classical music (totally forget the name of the song, dangit!). SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS had amazing music.

Mercenaries. Hands down the most fun I've had all year long and easily the best console game I've played. Happily I've been adding constantly to my "Completed" list, but Mercs I could just keep playing all day every day. Way too much fun.

Most Overrated Game of the Year:

*Tie* Jade Empire & Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (yes, I know this came out last year).

Good God is Jade Empire boring as hell. It's the exact same thing as Bioware's other games, just with shinier graphics in the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon universe. Snooze. And GTA: SA? Any and all reviewers who gave that game a such high grades are out of their fucking gourd. Outdated engine, enough so that I actually thought of the Tomb Raider series, redundant and frequently superfluous gameplay, language that's salty enough to raze crops forever with, and awful (and mandatory!) flight mechanics all add up to a big fat pile of junk.

But there was a lot to do in it, so Rockstar must have thought themselves entitled to a lot of great press. I can assure you that anyone who gave that game high marks did not play it every day for a month straight like I did. Rockstar can screw off if they expect me to pick up the next GTA unless it's a mammoth leap forward. The same old thing will only mean I walk right past it on the shelves. Major dittos go to Bioware in this regard. If I have to go on one more damn Fed Ex mission while being told I'm the Chosen One, I'm going to flip the fuck out.

I have to steal from someone first, because: A) I have no memory (remember?) and B) It's 2:45 AM - WTF am I doing awake? Sooo...

Quote

Most Addicting Games That Shouldn't Be - Xbox Live Arcade

Absolutely true, also the "Biggest Surprise about the XBox 360!"

Biggest Personal Surprise(s): Being chosen to beta test a game - finally! AND thinking, "oh, crap, a platform game" - AND finding out it was a 1st or 3rd person shooter - and a blast to play (see next.)

Best PS2 Online Game of the Year: "Ratchet: Deadlocked"

Best New Video Gaming (etc.) Forum - GeeeeeeeeTeeeeeeeee!!!

Logged

Mytocles (MY-toe-cleez)

"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!"- I don't remember who said it, and probably neither do they...

MOST FUN: Mario Kart DS LEAST FUN: Not getting a 360 yet... BIGGEST MISTAKE: Buying a PSP...I could have preodered a 360...heh BEST PLATFORM: DS, HANDS DOWN!!! Lots of good games! BUGGIEST PIECE OF SHIT: Black and white 2...I loved those games, well I wanted to...but all the bugs stopped me!!!!!